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<br />I <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />Denver would undertake measures to reduce its per capita consumption <br />of water, in other words, water conservation measures. That is built <br />into the stipulation that will be entered into the Federal Court. So <br />water conservation was an important part of it, and I think that is <br />something that Denver can carry out. <br /> <br />Another item had to do with the release of minimum streamflows for <br />fishery purposes between the Foothills Plant, the storage structure <br />known as Strontia Springs--that is where a small dam will be built to <br />divert the water treatment plant--the minimum streamflows have been <br />very much in controversy, and the Fish and wildlife Service has insisted <br />that 60 cfs of water be released past strontia Springs to enter chat- <br />field Reservoir for fishery purposes, 60 cfs, about half the year and <br />30 cfs during the winter months. This would occasion a considerable <br />loss of water to Denver if they are not able to recapture that water. <br />One way to recapture it is in Chatfield if an exchange agreement can <br />be worked out. All Denver diversion facilities are above Chatfield. <br />That is the problem. without pumping water back, ,there is no way Denver <br />can recapture that water except to exchange with other appropriators. <br /> <br />It has been a very thorny question. We have held up trying to resolve <br />the Chatfield problem until the Strontia Springs problem was resolved. <br />It appears, at least at this time, that there is an agreement among <br />all the numerous parties inVOlved. The final act is to provide a method <br />for Denver to recapture the water that it has to release for,minimumstream- <br />flows. Chatfield is the solution. We knew that at the very beginning. <br />We were just waiting for everybody else to get in agreement before we <br />got back into the picture. <br /> <br />We have again tendered Denver a draft of a contract which would allow <br />Denver to utilize storage space in Chatfield Reservoir to recapture its <br />water. We were successful in getting the Corps of Engineers to increase <br />the minimum'pool elevation slightly so that we could accommodate more <br />storage. The Corps was fully cooperative in that endeavor and gave us <br />a response within 48 hours, which is remarkably fast for any federal <br />agency. <br /> <br />At the present time, we have a draft contract that Denver is considering, <br />and we have submitted that to the Corps of Engineers for its review and <br />approval and to the Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation, which will <br />be the operating agency and which would put up the money to purchase the <br />water. Under that agreement, Denver would also agree, at its own expense, <br />to move its water mains, which have to be; moved as a part of the Chat- <br />field channelization project. That is a fairly expensive move--it will <br />probably cost in the neighborhood of a million and a half dollars, which <br />otherwise would be at the expense of the State. The operating agreement <br />that we have tendered to Denver is a rather complex agreement. It is now <br />being reviewed. <br /> <br />It provides that Denver shall give first priority of exchange with other <br />municipalities in this area. We are being besieged with requests from <br />other municipalities for storage in chatfield Reservoir. One way to, <br />accommodate both Denver and other municipalities with the same storage is <br />Ior Denver to effect exchanges with these other municipalities for water <br /> <br />-17- <br />